Ecuador: Ministerial Agreement MPCEIP-VAP-2023-0002-A — National Sanitary Control Plan for Aquaculture and Fisheries

Ecuador's Ministerial Agreement MPCEIP-VAP-2023-0002-A, issued by the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries, establishes the National Sanitary Control Plan for Aquaculture and Fisheries, published in the Third Supplement to Official Gazette No. 402 on September 22, 2023. The instrument establishes provisions and procedures for sanitary regulation, establishment authorization, inspection, surveillance, regulatory verification and certification of facilities, products and inputs throughout aquaculture and fisheries value chains. It defines the responsibilities of the Undersecretariat for Quality and Safety as the competent authority and regulates official controls, traceability systems, laboratory testing, monitoring of residues and contaminants, compliance with sanitary requirements and measures addressing non-compliance. Its purpose is to ensure the health, quality and safety of aquaculture and fisheries products, including products supplied to domestic and international markets.